How Writers Relax - Kari Thomas

Amber:  What stresses you aboutyour writing?Kari:  Every time I stare at a blank screen I see these shadow words: "You are stressed even BEFORE you begin to write -- so don't try to fool yourself." Then I spend the next few minutes muttering "am not, am not!" 
Seriously, I think it's the thought that, as a romance author, I face A LOT of competition and I know that in order to succeed I have to do my very best. But what IS my very best? The best editing job? The best plot idea? The best characters? Because of those worries,  my Internal Editor is constantly on and my Muse fights with it. It's not a pretty sight.
Amber: What do you do to relax?    
             Kari: I read. Crochet. Take a bubble bath. Shop. Eat chocolate. And not always in that order! Truthfully, one of the most relaxing for me is to soak in a hot bubble bath. If I was near a beach, I'd be there instead of anywhere else. I even play CD's that have water sounds, like beaches, waterfalls, streams gurgling. The sound of running water, rushing waves, roaring waterfalls really calms me. (Although I have to admit I threw away one CD of water sounds --- there was a croaking frog in the background. I can't stand distractions!)
Amber: What advice can you offer writers?Kari: Definitely find that special something that helps relax you, even if means experimenting with anything and everything. Stress does NOT make a good book, unless of course it's part of the plot. Exercise (groan, I don't even consider THAT!). Dance! Swim. Write emails to your fellow author friends and complain that you're stressed. Oh wait, that's MY trick. Paint. Make faces at yourself in the mirror. Oh wait, that's another one of mine. (grin) Try hobbies. Try relaxing CDs. There are so many options, that if you STAY stressed after attempting some of them ....then you're hopeless. LOL!

Excerpt from Sloan's Witch - 


         "Whereis this leading, Kassidy?" Hunter asked.
     Itwas Sloan who asked the dreaded question. "How dangerous were those spellsyou performed while searching for Bri?"
     Shewouldn't, couldn't look at him. The rough anger in his voice was doing thingsto her insides, because she didn't know if that volatile emotion was directedat her --or for her.
      "Everyspell has consequences," she evaded. "Every witch is aware of that. Iknew I was taking a chance."
       "Itwas so kind of you, Kass, to look for me." Briana smiled at her."But, I have this bad feeling you're going to tell us that the'consequences' had lasting effects. What exactly is a 'Twi-ing shade'?"
       Therewas no other way to say it, except blurt it out in one breath and hope they--especially Sloan --didn't kill her on the spot. "It's an evil entity thatattaches to you if you happen to be wandering in the afterlife unprotected.It's able to follow you back and then follow you anywhere you go. It's...ableto leave death in its path simply by touch."
      She'dnever heard half the creative, fiery cuss words Sloan and Hunter spit out. Shecringed. Briana had to finally tell them both to shut up. She lowered her head,resting her chin on sleeping Talia's curly head. She wanted to cry. She'd beendealing with the Twi-ing shade as best she could, never going anywhere aroundthe people in her care, always doing what she had to do by proxy or longdistance. But never once had she thought the shade would be able to follow herinto a parallel world. The thought of it unleashed here in Briana's modernworld was a nightmare.
       "Howdo we deal with it?" Briana asked. "Are there any spells to send itback?"
       Kassidyshook her head. "I've tried everything I can think of." Did she daremention the only solution that would send the shade back to the afterlife?There was no choice. She couldn't put innocent people at risk. "The onlyway to send it back...is for me to die."
       Sothat's what 'dead silence' sounded like. It was so quiet she could hear her ownheart beat. She closed her eyes tight and waited for the outcome. She couldjust hear Sloan now "Well, if that's what it takes..."***
Kari Thomas is a multi-published romance author and freelance editor. She reviews books on "Kari's Korner Reviews" on her website.  Author of nine books and several shorts, Kari is a voracious reader of paranormal romance, so most of her books are in that genre. Her latest, Surrender Her Touch, will be released December 2011 by Eternal Press. The hero, a dragon shapeshifter, is a bit different from her other shapeshifters. 
Kari's paranormal romance short, Sloan's Witch, her first venture into indie publishing, is  available for $.99 at Amazon, Smashwords,  B&N, and ARe.



Kari loves to hear from readers! Looking for a freelance editor?Send her an email. Kari Thomas -
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 BEST Paranormal Romance Author 2010!    www.authorkari.com